Gastroparesis Treatment: How to Break Free From This Debilitating Disease

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There is no definite cure for gastroparesis — the treatment plan for this disease varies from one person to another, and usually depends on the severity of symptoms and underlying cause

If gastroparesis becomes extremely severe even after taking medications and adopting dietary and lifestyle changes, then a physician may recommend either a jejunostomy or parenteral nutrition as a last resort

Researchers haven't found a treatment method that can bring back the motility of the stomach and permanently cure gastroparesis. Fortunately, there are ways to control the symptoms of this disease, preventing it from affecting your day-to-day activities. Some treatment options also aim to induce digestion by keeping the stomach valve open or by stimulating its muscles.1

Before we go into the details of gastroparesis treatment, let's first discuss how this disease is diagnosed. Keep in mind that proper diagnosis is essential since it helps you determine the treatment plan that you need.

How Is Gastroparesis Diagnosed?

If you're suspected to have gastroparesis, then chances are you will be asked about your medical history and the symptoms that you've experienced. In addition, you may be required to undergo a series of test in order for the physician to make a precise diagnosis.

These tests may also be used to detect any underlying issues that lead to the occurrence of delayed gastric emptying, as well as rule out the other possible causes behind your symptoms. Some of the diagnostic tests for gastroparesis include:2,3

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy

This test helps determine if undigested food is accumulating in the stomach and causing blockage. Sometimes, the endoscope is also used to dissolve or break up solid masses of food.

Upper GI series

This procedure requires a patient to drink barium liquid after eight hours of fasting to make the signs of gastroparesis more visible in an x-ray machine. If the result shows food in the stomach even after fasting, then it's highly likely that the patient has gastroparesis.

Ultrasound

This test is used to rule out gallbladder diseases and pancreatitis as the possible causes behind a patient's digestive symptoms.

Gastric emptying scintigraphy

This test allows the physician to measure the rate of gastric emptying within the first four hours of eating a bland meal that contains radioactive material. If the meal is still in the stomach after four hours, then the patient is confirmed to have gastroparesis.

SmartPill

SmartPill is a small electronic device that records how fast food moves through the digestive tract. It comes in capsule form, so patients can easily swallow it.

Gastric emptying breath test

This test involves eating a meal that contains natural materials and carbon. It allows doctors to calculate the rate of gastric emptying by testing the amount of material and carbon in breath samples.

Gastric Manometry

This test determines the rate of digestion and strength of muscle contraction by recording the stomach's electrical and muscular activity.

Electrogastrography

This one-hour diagnostic procedure involves the use of electrodes to measure the electrical activity in the stomach.

Conventional Treatment for Gastroparesis

There is no definite cure for gastroparesis — the treatment plan for this disease varies from one person to another, and usually depends on the severity of symptoms and underlying cause. Moreover, the available treatment options do not really cure delayed gastric emptying. Rather, they help sufferers manage their symptoms and live a normal life.

In most cases, medications are prescribed to lessen the symptoms of gastroparesis and induce stomach motility. Some of the common medications used for this disease are:4,5

Metoclopramide: This medicine is used to improve gastric emptying by stimulating stomach muscle contractions.

Erythromycin: This is an antibiotic that's prescribed at low doses. Similar to metoclopramide, erythromycin improves gastric emptying by stimulating the contractions of the stomach muscles.

Antiemetic: This medication is used to lessen nausea and vomiting.

However, it's important to note that these medications have a variety of side effects. For instance, metoclopramide is known to cause drowsiness, fatigue, depression and movement disorders, while erythromycin causes nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.6

Make sure that you talk to your physician before using any of the medicines mentioned above, since taking them without proper prescription may do you more harm than good.

Aside from medications, your physician may also recommend injecting botulinum toxin (also commonly known as Botox) to the pylorus, which is the opening of the stomach into the duodenum. This procedure opens the pylorus for long periods of time, allowing the stomach to pass its contents onto the small intestine. However, the effectivity of this treatment is still undetermined.7

Another treatment option that's given for gastroparesis patients is gastric electrical stimulation. This method involves the use of a battery-operated device, which is implanted under the skin of the abdomen. This device delivers electrical impulses to the stomach muscles, reducing chronic nausea and vomiting. However, it may also lead to several complications, including infection and holes in the stomach wall.8

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Consider These Safe and Holistic Treatment Methods

Taking medicinal drugs and undergoing invasive treatment methods are far from being your only options when it comes to managing delayed gastric emptying. There are natural treatment methods for gastroparesis too, which include:9,10,11

Eat right: The first step in managing gastroparesis is adopting a healthy diet that's specifically tailored for this disease. Talk to a dietitian to find out which foods are good for your body and which ones are not. In most cases, gastroparesis patients are given foods that are soft and easy to digest. Carbonated beverages and high-fiber foods should also be avoided.

Quit your bad habits:Smoking and drinking alcohol are generally bad for your health. What makes these substances worse is that they may even aggravate digestive problems. Avoiding these bad habits not only helps you manage gastroparesis but also improves your overall well-being.

Consider acupressure and acupuncture: These therapies can help alleviate gastroparesis symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and bloating, and improve the digestion process by promoting the flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

Breathe deeply: Deep breathing is a quick and easy technique that can stimulate the vagus nerve and improve blood flow to the digestive system. You just have to breathe deeply through you nose and hold your breath for three to five seconds before exhaling though your mouth. Make sure that your exhalation is longer than your inhalation. This technique also prevents gastroparesis symptoms, like bloating, abdominal pain and nausea.

Exercise: Doing a gentle exercise after eating is a great way to boost the body's metabolism and digestive process. Go for a walk after a meal instead of just sitting or lying down to help the stomach process food more quickly.

What Happens When Treatments Don't Work?

If gastroparesis becomes extremely severe even after taking medications and adopting dietary and lifestyle changes, then a physician may recommend either a jejunostomy or parenteral nutrition as a last resort.12

In jejunostomy, a surgeon places a feeding tube directly into a part of the small intestine called the jejunum. This procedure bypasses the stomach and delivers special liquid food with nutrients right into the small intestine.13 Parenteral nutrition, on the other hand, is a procedure wherein the surgeon places a catheter into a chest vein. The nutrients from an IV liquid food mixture are transported into the bloodstream through this catheter.

Keep in mind, though, that these procedures may lead to a variety of life-threatening complications.14,15 Make sure that you understand their inherent risk before deciding to undergo any of these surgical therapies.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.